Abstract: The present invention is directed to a confectionery capable of imparting oral care benefits to an end-user, the confectionery containing: a first sweetener; an optional second sweetener, a flavorant and optionally a functional active ingredient for promoting tooth mineralization, wherein the confectionery is substantially sugar-free. The present invention is also directed to a method of imparting oral care benefits to a consumer involving inserting the above-described confectionery into a consumer's mouth and allowing the confectionery to dissolve in the consumer's mouth over a prolonged period of time.

Abstract: Improved processes for the purification of raw or refined sugar, or sucrose, to produce sucrose and sucrose-related products having substantially no inorganic impurities are described, wherein the processes include the use of both cation and anion exchange resins. In accordance with the process, a sucrose starting material, such as refined sugar or invert syrup, is dissolved in water at a temperature sufficient to dissolve the sucrose product and produce a low visicosity sucrose solution having not more than about 76 wt. % solids. Thereafter, the process includes contacting the low viscosity sucrose solution with one or more ion exchange resin beds, which can be separate or mixed, for a time sufficient to yield a highly-purified sucrose product that is substantially free of inorganic elemental impurities.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a co-crystallized product and a method of making the product. The product comprises a polyol and a hydrogenated maltodextrin that have been co-crystallized together. The co-crystallization of polyols and hydrogenated maltodextrin according to the invention provides a sweetener product that is sucrose-free, yet has a reduced sensory cooling effect compared to the original polyol(s). The reduced sensory cooling effect is due to an increase of the heat of solution that is observed when polyols are co-crystallized with hydrogenated maltodextrin. Because the product of the invention is a sucrose-free sweetener that does not demonstrate the strong sensory cooling effect typically found with polyol sweeteners, the invention has a wide variety of applications which previously are not available for polyol sweeteners.

Abstract: A liquid xylitol composition that is non-crystallizing at low temperatures comprising, at between about 65 and about 90 weight percent dry solids, xylitol, in an amount between about 65 and about 90 weight percent of the dry solids, and sorbitol, in an amount between about 10 and about 35 weight percent of the dry solids. This liquid xylitol composition is preferably non-crystallizing at between about 0° C. and about 10° C. A process for producing liquid xylitol compositions, comprising co-hydrogenating a sugar syrup mixture comprising a sugar syrup having a dextrose equivalence (DE) of between about 20 DE and about 99 DE, in an amount between about 5 and about 35 weight percent of the mixture, and xylose, in an amount between about 65 and about 95 weight percent of the mixture. This process may be used to produce liquid xylitol compositions that are non-crystallizing at low temperatures.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a co-crystallized product and a method of making the product. The product comprises a polyol and a hydrogenated maltodextrin that have been co-crystallized together. The co-crystallization of polyols and hydrogenated maltodextrin according to the invention provides a sweetener product that is sucrose-free, yet has a reduced sensory cooling effect compared to the original polyol(s). The reduced sensory cooling effect is due to an increase of the heat of solution that is observed when polyols are co-crystallized with hydrogenated maltodextrin. Because the product of the invention is a sucrose-free sweetener that does not demonstrate the strong sensory cooling effect typically found with polyol sweeteners, the invention has a wide variety of applications which previously are not available for polyol sweeteners.